KILCHOMAN LOCH GRUINART+ PORT CASK MATURED
SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY
ISLAY, SCOTLAND
WHY BUY:
The Whisky Advocate was taken with Kilchoman’s new Loch Gruinart, and so were we, and at just $49 a bottle (!), we couldn’t wait to bring it to you. Listen to the WA, and see if you’re not totally transported by this latest release from Islay: "muted maritime salinity,” "well-integrated peat smoke,” and resonant notes of "hot bacon fat, dark chocolate, orange, and fresh-squeezed lemon on the nose. The peat recedes a bit on the palate, making room for lemon meringue pie, blueberry, and pepper spice." We should also note that this stellar single malt comes in at 50 PPM, making it one of the peatiest on the market, but as you can see (and as you will soon taste!) it’s assuredly not just a smoke bomb. As always with Kilchoman, there’s a beautiful integrity and purity on display, and no one who is even a little familiar with their story with find it in the least surprising: this is a grain-to-glass distiller that grows its own barley, never chill filters, and never, ever cuts corners. As a bonus, we’re also bringing you their gorgeous Port Cask Matured, which further demonstrates their mastery of controlled smoke. The first new Islay distillery in 125 years isn’t here just for kicks; and it's proving the old guard isn't the only game on the island.
OUR TASTING NOTES:
The Loch Gruinart is a peat bomb, for sure (50 PPM — whew), but a peat bomb wrapped in the softest velvet. And the palate is big and ripe and lush, carried along by soft, sweet fruits, with wonderful little hits of peat smoke and sea salt to keep you on your toes. The finish is a thing of beauty: rich and sustained and long enough to make you forget your next appointment. The Port Cask Matured is stylistically different, while still being a smart showcase of smoke. We loved the way the red berries, figs, and bacon play with and against the medicinal smoke on the nose, and the way you’re then launched onto the almost meaty palate, which puts you in mind of smoky rich barbecue and strawberries, the perfect summer feast. As for those six years in ruby port hogsheads, there’s a depth and dimensionality you just can't fake with mere finishing.
THE STORY:
Anthony Wills had been prowling the whisky industry for years, looking for his shot, when he and wife Kathy stumbled across derelict farmhouses on Islay, in 2005. Sometimes the universe just hands you your destiny. By year's end, they'd filled their first barrel; four years later, their first bottle. The vision never wavered: grow your own barley, harvest it, ferment it, distill it through four pot stills. What Kilchoman lacks in centuries-old gravitas, it compensates for with bloody-minded artisanal commitment. No chill filtering, no added color, never — what hits your glass is what came out of the barrel. The Loch Gruinart takes its name from a 1,600-hectare nature reserve in northwest Islay, home to the largest in-hand farming operation on any European nature reserve. That fact is more than merely incidental, or a fascinating curiosity. Kilchoman calls itself Islay's Farm Distillery, and their connection to working land runs deeper than marketing copy; it's built into every bottle.
ABV:
Loch Gruinart: 46% (92 proof); Port Cask Matured, 50% (100 proof). Both are non-chill filtered, and with no added color.
PRODUCTION:
The Loch Gruinart combines 4-, 5-, and 6-year-old whiskies, aged 90% in bourbon barrels and 10% in European oak sherry casks. The Port Cask Matured spent six years in ruby port hogsheads, giving it the roundness and depth of full maturation as opposed to mere finishing.
OUR GUARANTEE:
As always, we only buy and ship directly from the distillery to ensure pristine provenance. Secure your bottles today!
*Offer NOT valid in-store. This offer is made pre-arrival, with wines estimated to be delivered to your preferred store in Winter 2025 (Dec 21, 2025 - Mar 20, 2026). All sale prices are the lowest available at Total Wine & More and ONLY valid through Concierge Sales. No further discounts or coupons may be applied. The price reflected on your order form is subject to change after the order is placed in the event of a change in tariffs or taxes that are imposed by the U.S. government, or in the case of currency fluctuations of 10% or greater. Offer not valid in DC, IL, KS, MI, NC, NE, NY, OK, TN, VA, & WA. This offer will expire on Monday, November 10, 2025.